King Midas and the Golden Touch

An illustrated tales story from Wonder Tales — free to read, with narration.

A foolish king who wished for gold, and learned what truly mattered 10 illustrated pages, narrated, on the kids shelf, free to read on Wonder Tales.

King Midas and the Golden Touch — book cover — Wonder Tales
A foolish king who wished for gold, and learned what truly mattered 10 illustrated pages, narrated, on the kids shelf, free to read on Wonder Tales.

Page 1

Long ago lived a king named Midas, who was very, very rich. Every day, he went to his dark vault to be alone with his treasure.
Long ago lived a king named Midas, who was very, very rich. Every day, he went to his dark vault to be alone with his treasure. He would lock the heavy door and let coins run through his fingers like water. 'Oh, Midas, you are a happy man!' he would say to himself, hugging a heavy golden bar. 'But you would be happier still if everything in the world were turned to gold.' He even thought of his daughter, Marigold, whom he loved dearly.

Long ago lived a king named Midas, who was very, very rich. Every day, he went to his dark vault to be alone with his treasure. He would lock the heavy door and let coins run through his fingers like water. 'Oh, Midas, you are a happy man!' he would say to himself, hugging a heavy golden bar. 'But you would be happier still if everything in the world were turned to gold.' He even thought of his daughter, Marigold, whom he loved dearly. 'Her hair is pretty,' he would muse, 'but it would be so much more beautiful if it were shining metal!' He lay down and rolled in piles of golden dust, loving its color, its weight, and its cold, hard feel. But it was never enough. He always wanted more.

Page 2

One day, after locking his vault, Midas was walking in a sunlit part of his palace when he saw he was not alone. A stranger was leaning against one of the…
One day, after locking his vault, Midas was walking in a sunlit part of his palace when he saw he was not alone. A stranger was leaning against one of the marble pillars, smiling at him. His eyes shone with a friendly light. Midas was startled, as no one should have been able to enter the palace unseen. The stranger asked him about his treasure. "You must be a very wealthy king," he said. "I am," said Midas, puffing out his chest. "But it is not enough.

One day, after locking his vault, Midas was walking in a sunlit part of his palace when he saw he was not alone. A stranger was leaning against one of the marble pillars, smiling at him. His eyes shone with a friendly light. Midas was startled, as no one should have been able to enter the palace unseen. The stranger asked him about his treasure. "You must be a very wealthy king," he said. "I am," said Midas, puffing out his chest. "But it is not enough. I wish I had much more. I wish... I wish everything I touched would turn to gold!" The stranger's smile grew wider. He offered to grant the king one wish, whatever he wanted most in the world. Midas did not hesitate for a second. His heart beat fast with greed.

Page 3

The next morning, Midas woke as the sun rose. 'Was it a dream?' he wondered, reaching out to touch his linen bedsheets. Nothing happened. He sighed.
The next morning, Midas woke as the sun rose. 'Was it a dream?' he wondered, reaching out to touch his linen bedsheets. Nothing happened. He sighed. 'It was just a dream.' But as he got out of bed, his bare foot brushed a wooden stool. Instantly, it shone with a golden light! He gasped and grabbed it. It was solid gold! 'It's true!' he shouted, his heart pounding with joy. He ran to the high balcony overlooking his kingdom and leaned on the cool stone balustrade.

The next morning, Midas woke as the sun rose. 'Was it a dream?' he wondered, reaching out to touch his linen bedsheets. Nothing happened. He sighed. 'It was just a dream.' But as he got out of bed, his bare foot brushed a wooden stool. Instantly, it shone with a golden light! He gasped and grabbed it. It was solid gold! 'It's true!' he shouted, his heart pounding with joy. He ran to the high balcony overlooking his kingdom and leaned on the cool stone balustrade. He tentatively touched a carved stone lion on the railing. It, too, turned to gleaming, heavy gold before his eyes. 'I have the Golden Touch!' he cried to the morning air. 'I am the richest man in the world!'

Page 4

King Midas rushed into the royal gardens, laughing. He saw the beautiful roses his daughter loved. 'They are pretty,' he thought, 'but now I can make them…
King Midas rushed into the royal gardens, laughing. He saw the beautiful roses his daughter loved. 'They are pretty,' he thought, 'but now I can make them perfect!' He ran from bush to bush, touching every flower. The soft petals turned hard and yellow. Marigold came into the garden and stared in horror. 'What are you doing, Father?' she cried, her voice trembling. 'The roses have lost their smell, and they are hard and ugly!' Midas turned, beaming, holding up a golden rose.

King Midas rushed into the royal gardens, laughing. He saw the beautiful roses his daughter loved. 'They are pretty,' he thought, 'but now I can make them perfect!' He ran from bush to bush, touching every flower. The soft petals turned hard and yellow. Marigold came into the garden and stared in horror. 'What are you doing, Father?' she cried, her voice trembling. 'The roses have lost their smell, and they are hard and ugly!' Midas turned, beaming, holding up a golden rose. 'Nonsense, child!' he laughed. 'They are a hundred times more valuable now! See how they shine!' He turned another rose to gold right in front of her. Marigold backed away, her face filled with sadness. She could not understand why her father would destroy her beautiful flowers.

Page 5

The king was hungry and went to the dining hall for breakfast. 'A feast for the richest king alive!' he declared, sitting down.
The king was hungry and went to the dining hall for breakfast. 'A feast for the richest king alive!' he declared, sitting down. He picked up a warm piece of bread, but it turned to a hard lump of gold in his hand. 'What is this?' he grumbled, dropping it. He reached for a juicy pear; it became a cold, golden weight. He lifted a crystal goblet of water to his lips. The moment the water touched them, it became molten gold that flowed down his chin and hardened on his robes.

The king was hungry and went to the dining hall for breakfast. 'A feast for the richest king alive!' he declared, sitting down. He picked up a warm piece of bread, but it turned to a hard lump of gold in his hand. 'What is this?' he grumbled, dropping it. He reached for a juicy pear; it became a cold, golden weight. He lifted a crystal goblet of water to his lips. The moment the water touched them, it became molten gold that flowed down his chin and hardened on his robes. 'I cannot eat gold! I cannot drink it!' he cried in dismay. A terrible thought crept into his mind. How could he live? He stared at the feast, all of it useless, and felt the first real pang of fear. 'Will I starve in the middle of all my wealth?'

Page 6

Marigold ran into the Great Hall and saw her father's miserable face. Forgetting her own sadness, she ran to him. 'What is wrong, dear Father?' she asked.
Marigold ran into the Great Hall and saw her father's miserable face. Forgetting her own sadness, she ran to him. 'What is wrong, dear Father?' she asked. 'No, stay back!' Midas cried, holding up his hands. 'Don't touch me!' But it was too late. She threw her arms around his neck to comfort him. A terrible change came over her. Her soft hair became stiff golden wire. Her warm cheeks grew cold and hard. Her loving smile froze.

Marigold ran into the Great Hall and saw her father's miserable face. Forgetting her own sadness, she ran to him. 'What is wrong, dear Father?' she asked. 'No, stay back!' Midas cried, holding up his hands. 'Don't touch me!' But it was too late. She threw her arms around his neck to comfort him. A terrible change came over her. Her soft hair became stiff golden wire. Her warm cheeks grew cold and hard. Her loving smile froze. In a moment, she was a small, lifeless golden statue. Midas stared in horror, then pushed the statue away from him. He had his wish. He had turned his greatest treasure into cold metal. 'No!' he screamed. 'Not my daughter! Take the gold, take everything! Just give me back my Marigold!'

Page 7

Midas fled to a small, quiet chapel and fell to his knees on the cold stone. He did not pray for riches, but for his curse to be taken away.
Midas fled to a small, quiet chapel and fell to his knees on the cold stone. He did not pray for riches, but for his curse to be taken away. 'I have been a fool!' he wept, his voice echoing in the empty room. 'A greedy, blind fool! I hate this golden touch!' He beat his fists on the floor. He had thought gold was the most valuable thing, but he was wrong. The smile of his daughter, the smell of a rose, a drink of water—these were the real treasures.

Midas fled to a small, quiet chapel and fell to his knees on the cold stone. He did not pray for riches, but for his curse to be taken away. 'I have been a fool!' he wept, his voice echoing in the empty room. 'A greedy, blind fool! I hate this golden touch!' He beat his fists on the floor. He had thought gold was the most valuable thing, but he was wrong. The smile of his daughter, the smell of a rose, a drink of water—these were the real treasures. 'Take it away!' he cried out. 'I have learned my lesson. I will give up everything, all my gold, if I can just have my child back!'

Page 8

When he finally lifted his head, he saw the stranger standing before him once more, though the chapel door had not opened.
When he finally lifted his head, he saw the stranger standing before him once more, though the chapel door had not opened. The stranger's eyes were not smiling now; they were full of pity. Midas had fled the chapel and run out of the palace, and now stood in a quiet grove of old olive trees. The stranger had followed. "Do you still think the Golden Touch is such a happy gift?" he asked softly. "I am the most miserable man in the world," whispered Midas.

When he finally lifted his head, he saw the stranger standing before him once more, though the chapel door had not opened. The stranger's eyes were not smiling now; they were full of pity. Midas had fled the chapel and run out of the palace, and now stood in a quiet grove of old olive trees. The stranger had followed. "Do you still think the Golden Touch is such a happy gift?" he asked softly. "I am the most miserable man in the world," whispered Midas. "I have lost everything I truly love." Seeing that the king had truly learned his lesson, the stranger told him how to undo the curse. He instructed Midas to travel to the River Pactolus. If he washed himself in its waters, the Golden Touch would be gone. A tiny spark of hope flickered in the king's broken heart.

Page 9

Midas ran without stopping until he heard rushing water. He came to the bank of the River Pactolus and plunged his hands into the cool stream.
Midas ran without stopping until he heard rushing water. He came to the bank of the River Pactolus and plunged his hands into the cool stream. 'Please work!' he prayed as he washed. He felt a strange sensation, as if the greedy magic was flowing out of his very skin and into the river. He looked down. The river sands at his feet began to glitter and gleam with gold! He lifted his hands and touched a wet stone on the bank. It remained a stone.

Midas ran without stopping until he heard rushing water. He came to the bank of the River Pactolus and plunged his hands into the cool stream. 'Please work!' he prayed as he washed. He felt a strange sensation, as if the greedy magic was flowing out of his very skin and into the river. He looked down. The river sands at his feet began to glitter and gleam with gold! He lifted his hands and touched a wet stone on the bank. It remained a stone. 'The curse is gone!' he cried with overwhelming relief, splashing the water over his head. 'Thank you!' He quickly filled a clay jug with the precious water. With a heart lighter than it had been in years, he turned and ran back toward his palace and his daughter.

Page 10

Midas ran to the Great Hall and poured the river water over the golden statue. The gleam faded, warmth returned to her cheeks, and Marigold sneezed.
Midas ran to the Great Hall and poured the river water over the golden statue. The gleam faded, warmth returned to her cheeks, and Marigold sneezed. She was alive! She looked around, confused. 'Father,' she said, 'why are you crying? And why am I all wet?' Midas hugged her, laughing through his tears. 'Because I have you back, my darling!' he cried.

Midas ran to the Great Hall and poured the river water over the golden statue. The gleam faded, warmth returned to her cheeks, and Marigold sneezed. She was alive! She looked around, confused. 'Father,' she said, 'why are you crying? And why am I all wet?' Midas hugged her, laughing through his tears. 'Because I have you back, my darling!' he cried. 'Your living smile is worth more than all the gold in the world.' He was no longer the richest king on earth, for the River Pactolus now held that title. But with his living, breathing daughter in his arms in their sweet-smelling garden, he was, for the very first time, the happiest man alive.

About this story

  • Audience: kids (ages 6–12)
  • Format: 10 illustrated pages, narrated, on the kids shelf, free to read on Wonder Tales

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